Serious Eats Neighborhood Guides: Marc Murphy's TriBeCa

Marc Murphy grew up all over—Milan, Paris, Villefranche, Washington DC, Rome and Genoa, all before he turned 12—but the Landmarc chef holds a special place in his heart for his TriBeCa neighborhood, where he opened his first solo enterprise. He's since conquered the West Village, the Upper West Side, the Time Warner Center, and even Brooklyn Bridge Park with his Ditch Plains outpost. For such a cosmopolitan chef, Marc's tastes in his longtime home run largely towards comfort food, from Mister Softee ice cream to a Mac & Cheese BLT (yup). To find out where to find such a sandwich, check out his neighborhood staples.

Landmarc burger [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Marc's Picks

Pizza, slice: The Pizza Patate at Grandaisy Bakery—it's potatoes and onion on top of thin, crispy crust. I love it because it reminds me of the pizza I used to eat as a kid, living in Rome.

Pizza pie: The white pizza with sausage from Dean's is a must. It's crispy, cheesy and has just the right amount of sausage. And they deliver!

Burger, fancy: The daily burger from Tribeca Grill is great, especially because they change the toppings each day. It's like a brand-new burger every time.

Sandwich: Even though I rarely have the Mac & Cheese BLT from Kitchenette, I think it's crazy and fun. It's made with homemade white bread and has macaroni and cheese, tomato and bacon. Kind of reminds me of the Ditch Dog at Ditch Plains, which holds a special place in my heart! Definitely not an everyday sandwich.

Bagel: You have to go with an everything bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon from Zucker's Bagels. Delicious and so simple.

Delivery food: Peace & Love Café never disappoints. I like to get the Southwestern Salad with chicken, corn, avocado, cilantro, parmesan, tomato and yogurt dressing, because it's so full of flavor.

Breakfast: I get the buttermilk pancakes with fresh strawberries from Sarabeth's Tribeca because they are moist, fluffy, and my kids love them. It's also a fun, quintessential New York City atmosphere.

Dive bar: Raccoon Lodge is your typical dive bar with pool tables in the back. I like to get a Dewar's on the rocks and play pool with my buddies.

Cocktail bar: Weather Up is a great spot when you're in the mood for a sophisticated, classic cocktail. I'm a vodka kind of guy.

Mister Softee cones [Photograph: Robyn Lee]

Ice cream: When I get the chance, the Mister Softee truck! My kids love to get the different pops and I love a good soft serve ice cream.

Asian takeout: If I could eat the Sweet Sausage Fried Rice from Viet Café rice every day, I would. The sweet sausage is perfectly cooked and the rice itself is fluffy and super flavorful—nothing like your typical fried rice.

Date night: Marc Forgione's place is a great date night because it's a comfortable and energetic atmosphere, and the menu changes seasonally, so whatever you get you know it's going to be fresh and delicious.

Can't-miss neighborhood spot: I love Max—it's the perfect little Italian place. The chicken liver crostini have the perfect balance of liver to bread, and the lasagna is so delicious and hearty, it's ridiculous.